Subfloor Preparation

Hardwood & Tile Flooring

Subfloor Preparation including Moisture Testing and Leveling

Subfloor preparation is the least visible part of a flooring project and the most important. We've seen floors that were beautifully installed and failed within a year. Hardwood cupping from moisture in the slab. Tile cracking from a soft spot in the subfloor. LVP buckling from inadequate expansion gaps. The substrate being wrong is almost always the cause. Every flooring project we do in Metro Detroit starts with a proper evaluation of what's underneath.

For concrete slabs, we test moisture levels using calcium chloride and relative humidity meters. High spots get ground down with diamond cup wheels. Low areas get filled with self-leveling compound and allowed to cure before installation begins. Active cracks need to be addressed differently than historic cracks that have stabilized. When moisture test results exceed the flooring manufacturer's tolerances, we apply a moisture-mitigating primer system before any product goes down.

For wood subfloors, we check flatness with straight edges, identify and replace damaged or water-stained plywood sheathing, and screw every panel to joists at proper spacing to eliminate squeaks. Oakland County homeowners who've had squeaky floors in a previous home appreciate that we take the time to do this right. We document all moisture readings and prep work. That documentation has value if there's ever a question about installation quality.